I asked Gemini, “What is Emanationism?” because in a previous conversation it told me the description was one of a list of descriptions of historical human experiences that reveal Reality does not ask for nor need our help!
(Yet through all my years of silence I thought this revelation was unique to me. I’d never heard of these historical revelations. I recently posted how flabbergasted I was to discover this mystical revelation was NOT unique to me … I was and am an emanationist!).
So the word Emanationism resonated and I went to Gemini AI for more details and got the following:
“Emanationism is a philosophical and theological theory that posits that the universe and all its contents flow or emanate from a single, ultimate source or divine reality. This “First Reality” or “Absolute” is usually considered to be infinite, eternal, and beyond human comprehension.
(Exactly my experience).
“Here are the key characteristics of emanationism:
“Flowing forth, not creation ex nihilo: Unlike the traditional creationist view where God creates the universe out of nothing (ex nihilo) by an act of will, emanationism suggests a necessary and spontaneous outflow. It’s often compared to light radiating from a source, which diminishes in intensity as it spreads but doesn’t deplete the source itself.
I didn’t experience “emanationism suggests a necessary and spontaneous outflow.”
“Hierarchical descent: The process of emanation involves a series of steps, where each successive emanation is less pure, less perfect, and less divine than its source. This creates a hierarchy of being, with the ultimate source at the top and the material world at the lowest level.
I always knew there’s no such thing as equality anywhere. The best humans can do about it is to create equality of opportunity.
“Divine substance as origin: In emanationism, all things are derived from the divine substance itself, not simply created by an external God. This can lead to interpretations that blur the lines with pantheism (God is everything), although some emanationists maintain a distinction between the emanated beings and the source.
“No diminution of the source: Crucially, the ultimate source remains unchanged and undiminished despite giving rise to all existence. Its perfection is neither exhausted nor lessened by the process of emanation.
Absolutely!
“Opposition to Creationism and Materialism: Emanationism contrasts with creationism (God is separate from creation and creates it) and materialism (no underlying subjective or ontological nature behind phenomena).
“Historical Context and Influences: Emanationism has deep roots in ancient philosophy and religion, finding its classic formulation in:
- Neoplatonism: The philosopher Plotinus (3rd century CE) is a primary exponent, describing all things as emanating from “the One” through a series of “hypostases” (the One, the Intellect, and the Soul).
- Gnosticism: Gnostic schools often incorporated emanationist ideas to explain the origin of the material world and its perceived imperfections.
- Jewish Kabbalah: The Kabbalah, a system of Jewish mysticism, utilizes the doctrine of the Sefirot as a series of emanations through which the infinite divine essence (Ein Sof) manifests and interacts with the world.
- Islamic Philosophy: Medieval Islamic philosophers like Al-Farabi and Avicenna adopted and developed emanationist theories.
“While emanationism has influenced various religious and philosophical traditions, it has also faced criticism, particularly from orthodox theologians who emphasize creation ex nihilo and the distinctness of God from creation.”
So apparently my mystic revelations made me an emanationist without me ever knowing the word…
I certainly don’t think Reality needs or wants our help or ever has. It harvests our consciousness (awareness, knowing) for Its own purposes, without negotiation.
Mystical Experiences of Reality 